Fastenings and method of making the same



NOV. 3, 1936. v s TH 7 2,059,406

FASTENING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 2'7, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l F|G.5 FIG] x I N VEN TOR.

Nov. 3, 1936. G. A. SMITH FASTENING AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME Filed July 27, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR I i QM Patentecl Nov. 3, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FASTENINGS AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME 22 Claims.

. 10 of men's umbrellas or to separate tips effectively forming parts of the ribs in the case of womens umbrellas, by hand stitching, the stitch employed being the ordinary hand or pop stitch. This stitching is effected by passing a threaded needle 15 successively through the cover and the eye provided either by a small loop on the rib or an opening through the separate tip, and about the inner and outer sides of the cover, the thread, usually doubled, forming, in effect. a plurality of figures eight as viewed axially of the rib. This operation not only requires that the needle be manipulated by pushing to cause it to enter the eye or aperture and pulling to draw it completely through and tighten the stitch, but also necessitates a rethreading of the needle following completion of each fastening preparatorily to the beginning of the next. Both the manipulation of the needle in its passages and the rethreading operations take considerable time even in the v 30 case of performance by a skilled worker.

The machines which have heretofore been devised to sew umbrella covers to the ribs make the same type of stitch and are subject to the same disadvantages of requiring pushing and pulling operations upon the needles, effected by clamps which must grip and release the needles during the operations, and of requiring rethreading mechanism which must operate between stitching cycles. Both these requirements necessitate 0 the use of relatively heavy needles to prevent bending and to provide eyes large enough for practical rethreading; Furthermore, all machines of the pop stitch type must have means for compensating for the continuously decreasing length of thread as each stitching cycle pro- 'gresses and thread is used up in the fastening. The adjustment of this compensatin means is quite critical and any irregularities such as the taking of too much thread by the stitch in any 50 passage, due, for example, to an abnormally thick seam in the cover, will result in breakage.

These disadvantages of the machine production of the pop stitch have so long been known that this stitch has been abandoned as a practi- 55 cal sewing machine stitch except in certain embroidery machines which are used only to produce an imitation of a hand made stitch. In view of this the question immediately arises as to why the stitches ordinarily produced by machine sewing have not been used both in hand 5 and machine stitching of umbrella covers to ribs. An examination of the characteristics of these stitches readily answers this question: they are not adapted for use except where there is fabric existing between the successive loops passed by the needles; that is, removal of fabric from between successive stitches of the lock, single chain, double chain, or various overseam stitches will result in a collapse of the stitch structures so that any holding power is lost. In the case of 10 an umbrella of conventional type, the stitches forming any single fastening will pass through the same holes in the portions of the cover on opposite sides of the rib, or at any rate, they will be separated only by very few warp or weft, threads which will be readily torn. Ordinary overseaming stitches, for example those produced by vibrating needle operation will also either collapse or cause interlocks in which the engaging loops tend to out each other or become loose by readjustment or slipping due to the stresses on the cover when the umbrella is opened.

It is the broad object of the present invention to provide stitches of a type avoiding the objection mentioned above; that is, the new stitches 0 are producible by the use of an eye-pointed needle which carries loops through the work but which itself is not passed entirely therethrough; the needle always remains threaded after the completion of a cycle and draws thread from a spool or bobbin; and the stitches do not collapse but instead maintain their initial condition to provide a secure fastening. In the preferred stitch ravelling is impossible, while in another stitch also within the scope of the invention, ravelling will not occur except under unusual conditions.

Another object is the provision of methods for forming such stitches in a practical manner.

Other detailed objects will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, are conventionalized, diagrammatic, sectional views showing successive steps involved in the formation of the preferred form of fastening;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the finished fastening;

Fig. 6 is a perspective diagrammatic View showing the fastening alone in expanded condition to illustrate the loopings;

Fig. 7 is an axial section through a tool suitable for use in the formation of the stitch;

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are conventionalized, diagrammatic, sectional views showing successive steps involved in the formation of another form of fastening within the scope of the invention;

Fig, 11 is a similar View of this form of stitch;

Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the same viewed in the direction of the opening through the rib tip; and

Fig. 13 is a view similar to Fig. 6 of the second form of fastening.

In Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, there are illustrated the successive steps involved in the formation of the preferred type of fastening by which the rib tip 2 provided with a transverse opening 4 has secured thereto a cover 6 having a selvage or turned edge. Although the seam between triangular segments of the cover generally lies closely adjacent the rib, this seam is omitted from the drawing for clearness. While a separate tip of the type commonly used on womens umbrellas is illustrated as forming the end of a rib, it will be clear that the same fastening and method are applicable to the securing of a cover to the end of any other type of rib such as that ordinarily used in mens umbrellas in which a metallic loop provides an eye to receive the stitches.

The cover 6 is clamped to the tip with its outer end projecting over the opening 4 by means of members 8 which may be urged together yieldingly by a spring or may be positively held in clamping position.

The formation of the fastening is accomplished by the use of a needle I provided with an eye near its point, the point being preferably rounded rather than sharp to avoid severing during subsequent passages strands which may already lie in the opening 4. For example, the type of needle commonly used in button sewing machines may be used. The needle is threaded with a thread ll! of suitable character, the thread extending at l4 from the underside of the needle to a supply spool or bobbin.

In the initial passage of the needle which takes place through the portion of the cover on one side of the tip, through the opening 4, and through the portion of the cover on the other side of the tip, (though it is satisfactory to pass it through the cover on one side only), care is taken that even after drawing a loop there will be suflicient thread extending from the eye on the upper side of the needle to provide an end I6 which will finally project from the entrance end of the opening 4 or at least will not be drawn outwardly from the exit end.

Following a penetrating movement sufiicient to carry the needle eye well beyond the tip, the needle is slightly retracted to cause a loop to be formed on its upper side in the usual manner by reason of retarding friction on the upper strand of thread. This loop 18 is seized by the operator, using the fingers or an instrument such as a thimble provided with a loop catching prong, widened and drawn outwardly, and passed over the end of the tip as indicated in Fig. 1. The loop l8 in this operation is produced from the strand l6 extending above the needle unless this strand is held, in which case it is formed by drawing thread from the supply through the needle eye. While the loop is held, the needle is retracted as indicated in Fig. 2, the thread being permitted to run through its eye, and the loop I8 is then pressed downwardly below the level of the needle path producing a depression in the strand 20, extending from the base of the loop I8 at the exit of the opening 4 to the needle eye.

Following the attainment of the conditions exhibited in Fig, 2, the needle is again projected forwardly. Preferably, the thread is now held at the needle, for example, by a suitable tension or clamp carried by a needle holder as will be hereafter described, so that during the forward movement the thread will not run through the needle eye but will be drawn from the supply. By this action, the strand 20 is looped back upon itself as at 24 (Fig. 6) when the needle advances drawing a bight 22 from the loop l8 into the opening 4, and thus tightening the loop [8 about the cover. The clamping action upon the thread is preferably yielding so that as soon as the predetermined tightness of the loop I8 is attained, the thread may again run through the eye of the needle as the needle reaches the end of its penetrating stroke.

The needle is then again given a slight retraction tocause the throwing out of a loop 26 which is seized, looped over the end of the tip as shown in Fig. 3, and depressed below the needle path as shown in Fig. 4 after the needle is again fully retracted. The same sequence of events is then repeated until the desired number of stitches is formed which in Fig. is shown as five while in the diagrammatic showing of Fig. 6 it is shown as three, the bight formed in the loop 26 being indicated at 28. The last loop 30 which is thrown over the end of the tip does not have a bight formed therein, this loop being drawn tight during the retraction of the needle by clamping the thread so that passage through the needle eye is prevented. Following this, the strand extending from the base of the loop 30 to the needle is severed leaving an end 32 projecting from the entrance of the opening 4. Both the ends I6 and 32 may be trimmed off closely to provide a fin- I ished appearance.

The various loops about the cover and tip are very effectively held tight by reason of the bights formed therein so as to provide a fastening which will not become loose under the strains incident to the opening of the umbrella. There is no substantial strain on the last loop 30, since the other loops bind the cover quite tightly, and this last loop is held sufficiently securely to prevent its accidental widening or displacement not only by the friction upon it due to its contact with the cover but also by the friction upon the strand 32 within the opening 4 and the holes in the cover. The loop 30 in turn maintains the bight in the next preceding loop so that this loop is most securely held in tight condition.

It may be pointed out that the bights in the loops insure that the stitch structure will not collapse even though the needle repeatedly enters the same hole. While the stitch is idealized in Fig. 6, it is not necessary that successive penetrations of the needle take place above all the strands already existing in the hole so long as bights are formed in the loops to provide a noncollapsing structure. In actual practice, the needle sometimes penetrates below previously formed loops with a resulting complicated interlocking within the opening. Such fastenings are, of course, within the scope of the invention.

While in the illustrated embodiment the tip is assumed secured to the rib during the fastening operation, the same stitch may obviously be used to secure the cover to a tip when separated from videthe necessary tension.

the rib, these tips being ordinarily provided with sockets into which the rib projects. In this latter case to produce a more finished appearance, the cover may be stitched inside out to the rib in which case the end of the tip over which the loops are carried is the end having the rib-receiving socket. Following such stitching the cover is folded over the loops concealing them in a manner similar to that illustrated in the patent to Scharf, Number 1,798,110, dated March 24, 1931, in which the ordinary pop stitch provides the fastening.

: for the reception of the shank of the needle II].

A plate 36 carried by the handle is provided with outwardly turned 'ends perforated to furnish thread guiding eyes. Extending across the outer surface of plate 36 and arranged to clamp the thread I2 against the plate is a cross member 38 carried by a plunger ll] which is urged to the right as viewed in Fig. '7 by a compression spring 44 reacting between the plate 36' and a head 42 carried by the plunger. The clamping tension imposed upon the thread under the action of the spring 44 may be relieved by the pressure of the thumb of the operator upon the head 42. When free running of the thread through the eye of the needle is desired, the tension is relieved by thumb pressure. On the other ,hand when clamping is required as indicated above in the formation of the bights 22, 28 or the tightening of the final loop 30, the spring 44 is freed to pro- The spring 44 is preferably of such character that, although ample tension will be imparted to the thread when debrellas, parasols or the like which avoids the time consuming, operations necessitated by the use of the ordinary pop stitch, but which will hold the cover securely to the rib.

Referring now to Figs. 8 to 13, inclusive, there is illustrated therein a modified form of fastening within the scope of the invention. In the formation of this fastening, the loop 50, which is formed from the upper strand l6 of the thread l2 after the initial penetrating movement of the needle upon its loop forming retraction, is drawn about the cover as shown in Fig. 8, and

then positioned as in Fig. 9, after retraction of the needle, so that the needle upon its subsequent forward movement will enter the loop.

. .As it moves inwardly, the strand 52 extending from the base of the loop 50 at the exit of the opening 4 is doubled back upon itself so that the end 54 of the loop 50 is drawn into the opening and the loop is thereby drawn tightly about the cover, this result being accomplished in the same manner as the formation of the bight 22 in the '6 previous modification by prevention of running of the thread through the eye as the needle advances, for example by the use of the instrument of Fig. 7. The next loop 56 is similarly drawn and 1 subsequent operations proceed in corresponding fashion to form loops 53 and 60. The final operation is the passage of the needle through the last loop 60 whereupon the thread is severed leaving anchoring the thread between the loops.

an end 62 projecting from the exit of the opening 4. The needle, of course, remains threaded, the severing taking place through theloop thrown out on the upper side of the needle following the last penetration.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate a fastening comprising three loops but involving four needle penetrations. A fastening having four loops is shown in Fig. 13. I

In this second modification, all of the loops may be carried about the outside of the cover, as illus trated, about the inside of the tip, or alternately about the outside and inside. As in the case of the first modification, the showing of Fig. 13

is idealized and actually there is usually considerably more complication within the opening 4. In this case, also, the fastening of the cover inside out to the tip may be produced. Further, the cover need only be penetrated on one side of the tip.

It will be noted that the ends l6 and 62 exformed in a single length of thread and penetrating the cover, the loops extending from one end of the opening 4 about the cover and tip and one having a portion extending into the other end of the opening and anchoring therein the thread between the loops. the loops not only extend about the tip and cover but actually encircle them. The improved fastoning and method are, of course, applicable for other purposes than the securing of umbrella or parasol covers. Furthermore, variations within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims will be apparent to those skilled in the art.

What is claimed is: g

1. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flex-.

ible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element. said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening about said member and element, one of the loops having a portion extending into the other end of the opening and anchoring therein the thread between said loops. e

2. In combination, an elongated rigid element.

having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible' member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening, each loop comprising a section of the thread doubled on itself to form an open eye receiving the member and element.

3. In combination, an elongated rigid element In the preferred modification 4. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening, each loop comprising a section of the thread doubled on itself to form an open eye receiving the member and element, and one of said loops anchoring the thread between the loops at the other end of said opening.

5. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of alength of thread formed into at least two loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening, each loop comprising a section of the thread doubled on itself to form an eye receiving the member and element and one of the loops having a portion extending into the other end of the opening and anchoring therein the thread between the loops.

6. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching including a length of thread formed into a plurality of loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening, each loop comprising a section of the thread doubled on itself to form an eye receiving the member and element, the thread between the loops being anchored within said opening.

'7. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops each of which comprises a section of the thread doubled on itself with both sides extending outwardly from one end of said opening about a side of the element, one of the loops having a portion extending into the other end of the opening and anchoring therein the thread between the loops.

8. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening about the member and element, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

9. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening about the member and element, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the entrance end of the opening an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

10. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

11. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the entrance end of the opening an inter mediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

12. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening about the member and element at one side thereof, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and open ing by a passage of the threaded needle in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to enage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

13. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening about the member and element at one side thereof, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the entrance end of the opening an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

14. The method of stitching work adjacent an end thereof including passing a loop of thread therethrough, drawing the projecting loop over the end of the work to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the work at substantially the position of the first passage and in the same direction in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage the encircling portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

15. The method of stitching work adjacent an end thereof including passing a loop of thread therethrough, drawing the projecting loop over the end of the work to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the Work at substantially the position of the first passage and in the same direction in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the work a part of the encircling portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

16. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops extending outwardly from one end of said opening about said member and element, each of said loops comprising a section of the thread doubled on itself whereby the ends of the section are located at said end of the opening, one of the loops having an intermediate portion anchoring the thread between said loops at the other end of the opening.

- 17. In combination, an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein, a flexible member, and stitching extending through the member and said opening to secure the member to the element, said stitching consisting of a length of thread formed into at least two loops each of which comprises a section of the thread doubled on itself with both sides extending outwardly from one end of said opening about one side of the element, one of said loops extending through the other at the other end of the opening whereby the latter has an intermediate portion anchoring the thread between the loops at said other end of the opening.

18. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop by a passage of the threaded needle in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby.

19. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein bya thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the samedirection as the first loop by a passage of the threaded needle between the encircling portion of the first loop and said end of the element while restraining the feed of thread in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby, and to draw the first loop tightly about the member and element.

20. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop by a passage of the threaded needle between the encircling portion of the first loop and said end of the element while clamping the thread in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to engage an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby, and to draw the first 100p tightly about the member and element.

21. The method of securing a flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to en-. circle the same, and passing a second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop by a passage of the threaded needle between the encircling portion of the first loop and said end of the element while restraining the feed of thread in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the entrance end of the opening an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby, and to draw the first loop tightly about the member and element.

22. The method of securinga flexible member to an elongated rigid element having a thread receiving opening therein by a thread extending through the eye of a needle from a supply including passing a loop of thread through the member and opening by a passage of the threaded needle, drawing the loop from the exit end of the opening over an end of the element to encircle the same, and passing a'second loop of the thread through the member and opening in the same direction as the first loop by a passage of the threaded needle between the encircling portion of the first loop and said end of the element while clamping the thread in such manner as to cause the thread between the loops to draw into the entrance end of the opening an intermediate portion of the first loop to be anchored thereby, and to draw the first loop tight 1y about the member and element. 

